hackSILENCE
by Mistress Kat
Summary: The World was created to be a game, something that people could do in their spare time. But when a game threatens to become a reality for the newbie Kotoki, can she find a way to get out of what she's been pulled into?


.hack//SILENCE  
  
Dislaimer: This fic contains very few characters from the .hack anime, or games, with the exception of Helba, Morganna, Lios, and Aura. Though there is a mentioning of Sora and Kite. All of these characters belong to their respectful owners and creators. All other characters belong to Miss Diamond and Bianca, my friends and their creators. The .hack project belongs to it's creators and own no part of it. Besides, if I did, do you REALLY think this would just be a fic...?  
  
Description: The World was created to be a game, something that people could do in their spare time. But when a game threatens to become a reality for the newbie Kotoki, can she find a way to get out of what she's been pulled into?  
  
Rating: R (due to future chapters)  
  
Author Note: You have no idea how long I've wanted to post this...  
  
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Matsuki Kotoki had been born and raised in Tokyo. Her parents were happily married, she was an only child, and she made good grades in school. All of her teachers liked her and everyone always said good things about her. She was bright, and pretty; a perfect cheerleader. And she was often asked why she didn't try out for the team, since she was very athletic. Her family was not rich, but they were certainly not poor and she almost always got what she asked for, even though she rarely asked for anything at all. Her parents often wondered how they'd been lucky enough to have such a perfect child. But despite all of this spoiling and praise, Kotoki was not stuck up. She was kind and considerate, putting others' needs over her own. She was gentle and trustworthy. Kotoki was perfect.  
  
At least everyone said she was.  
  
The truth was, Kotoki was sick of it. She was tired of being treated like some wind-up doll, tired of having to be so perfect. When was the last time she'd done something *she* wanted to do? Not what someone *else* had wanted her to do? She wondered this as she stared up at the white celing of her bedroom, layed back on her bed. She knew that she should of been thankful and she was. But that didn't mean she had to enjoy all of this. Sure, she was glad her life was going so well, but at the same time she wished it wasn't. She wanted to be able to let go, to be free...  
  
Kotoki was a very pretty girl. Her hair was a silky chestnut color that reached the small of her back, and her eyes were a crystal blue color, as clear as the sea. She had slightly tanned skin, like sand and her form was slender yet curvy. She was a small thing seeing as she didn't eat much. Her eye lashes were long and the kind that you seemed to only see on models, and her lips were full, a soft pink color. Yes, Kotoki was very pretty. She'd been asked out by plenty of guys, always turning them down with a shy expression, telling them she wasn't ready to date. That was a lie. She just wasn't ready to date *them*. She wasn't ready to date someone who didn't know her.  
  
Oh, how she longed to be someone else!  
  
She wondered what it would be like... Being someone else. Someone who wasn't constantly making good grades in things she could care less about and being asked out by guys she wouldn't even think about dating in a million years. It was like a dream to her, and she often got lost in the pure bliss of the thought. To be normal by the standards of society, not perfect...  
  
Her eyes shifted to her computer and to the disk on the desk. They glazed. Her birthday present... She still hadn't used it... And she hadn't been planning to use it. It was foolish, she told herself. It wouldn't make her someone else, not really. And eventually, she'd have to leave it behind. But that didn't mean she didn't want to try... What if it was better than she thought...? What if...  
  
She sat up, pushing silky brown whisps of hair from her face. She stared at the disk, licking her lips nervously. She looked at the disk almost hungrily, hands gripping the covers of her bed. It wouldn't hurt just to see... She'd heard it was fun... And before she even realized what she was doing, she was off of her bed, sitting in front of the computer, turning it on. Once it was ready, she put in the disk and stared at the screen.  
  
A window popped up. She felt something twist inside of her. //The World...//  
  
She reached out a trembling hand to grip the mouse as the Registration page popped up. Eyes glued to the screen, she suddenly realized she could hear the 'thump' of her heartbeat. Why was she so nervous? She was just signing onto a game... Nothing to be nervous about. She took a deep breath.  
  
/Full Name: 'Matsuki, Kotoki'/  
  
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/Character Name: /  
  
Kotoki bit her lip. What would she name herself in The World? She ran through a list of names that she would of liked for herself through her head, but none of them she wanted. Eventually, she gave up and just put in her own name. What the heck? It couldn't hurt to keep one thing about herself the same.  
  
/Character Name: 'Kotoki'/  
  
/Username: /  
  
/Three Word Confirmation: /  
  
She paused and then entered in her name again, blinking. //Three Word Confirmation...?// She looked down, thinking. Why was this so hard? However, after a moment, she looked back up and began typing furiously, smiling at her results, obviously pleased that she'd gotten so far without backing out.  
  
/Username: 'Kotoki'/  
  
/Three Word Confirmation: 'Imperfection of Perfection'/  
  
She nodded and pressed enter. She blinked as a "Complete" window popped up. Her eyes lit up and she felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. Reaching out for her headset, she pressed enter again and The World login screen appeared. Her smile faded, and she felt that twisting feeling again. She glanced around. Did she really want to do this...?  
  
//Do it.// A voice in her head, so sure. //Do it. It's what you've always wanted.//  
  
That voice sounded so sure, so knowing. It knew that she should do it.  
  
So she did.  
  
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She wasn't sure what was happening. There was a rush of color, and then of just green and white. All she'd done was put on her head set and pressed enter. She felt dizzy, and at the same time giddy and as she closed her eyes to bask in all of it, she suddenly realized that it had stopped. She wasn't sure how she knew... She just did. And she opened her eyes, and gasped.  
  
This place...  
  
It was nothing like anything she had ever seen. It was almost enchanting. Her breath caught in her throat and she looked down at herself, feeling a choked sob of happiness trap itself in her throat. She was... different.  
  
Her hair, instead of brown, was red. A blazing red, held in two pigtails that reached her waist. And her eyes, instead of blue, were light green. She was paler than she was in real life and a bit taller, her form not quite as small, but close. She'd chosen the class of a long-arm, and her outfit fit her well enough so that she could move easily.The torso, to the waist and a bit below that fit snugly to her body and was a hotpink, with black. It had a turtle neck at the top, connected to the rest of the outfit. It fit like a one-piece bathing suit at the bottom, leaving her legs completely uncovered, except for her knees down, which were hidden by matching boots. Her arms were covered by fingerless gloves, black, that started just above her elbows. She had a black marking on one cheek, with an identical one on the other, only pink and she held her long arm staff, or whatever the thing was called in her right hand. She examined it. What WAS it called anyway?  
  
Shrugging it off, she took to basking in the glory of being someone else. Eyes bright, she started down a set of steps. She looked around, wondering if there was a place for newbies to go. She examined everyone else. Everyone wore odd outfits, not just her and for that, she was thankful. Pursing her lips, she glanced around a bit more before starting to wander...  
  
Her head was constantly turning. It felt odd, just being part of the crowd, but she loved it. It was something she was not used to, but she completely adored it. She closed her eyes and took in a breath, before opening them again and going back to wandering.  
  
This was what she had always wanted.  
  
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How long had she been been running around?  
  
She looked around, pig tails moving with the action, but then shrugged. Why did it matter? She was someone else! She giggled to herself and went back to running about, from here to there. She was so happy, so caught up in her own delight, that she didn't even notice the boy standing at the Scrolls shop before she ran into him.  
  
"Ack!"  
  
She fell back, onto her bottom, looking up with wide eyes to see a boy pressed up against the scrolls shop. She had, apparently, knocked him back while she herself had fell. She blushed madly.  
  
The boy wasn't too much taller than she was. His skin was the same color are hers was in real life, and his hair was a lot like hers. The only difference was that his was a darker shade of brown and had more shine to it than hers did. It was shorter too, stopping just where his neck started and strands hung out in the front in front of his face. He was a blade-master, she could see that easily. His clothes fit him somewhat baggily, but she could see his slight muscular build beneath it and her blush increased. He was not bulky, but he was not scrawny either and she had to admit, he was handsome. His jaw was set, and as he opened his eyes, she almost gasped as she saw that they were a stormy grey color, beautiful and at the same time saddening. He scowled at her.  
  
"Why don't you watch where you're going?!"  
  
His voice was masculine, and boyish. It reminded her of those boys she'd always seen in those movies... The ones with the bad attitude problem, who, in truth, were really just misunderstood. Something told her, he was one of those boys. Kotoki blinked, gaping at him before regaining her senses and looking embarressed. "Oh! I... I'm so sorry!" She wasn't used to people talking to her like that, but it was somewhat relieving. She couldn't believe it. She'd actually gotten someone angry! "I... You're right, I wasn't watching. I'm sorry." She stood and smied apologetically. The boy frowned at her, narrowing his eyes at her.  
  
"Whatever," he muttered and started to walk away.  
  
Kotoki's eyes widened. "Hey, wait!" She ran after him. "My name is Kotoki!"  
  
He didn't even look at her. "And I care, why?"  
  
She flushed a bit, but then got a more determined look. "I..." She took a soft, yet deep breath. "I'm a newbie here... and I... Sorry. I just wanted to know your name, is all, if it's not too much trouble."  
  
Now, he turned to look at her. But his eyes were cold and she flinched. "It is. Too much trouble." He glared down at her and she shrunk back. He paused and his glare softened a bit. He sighed. "...Leon. It's Leon."  
  
Kotoki blinked but immediately looked a bit relieved, straightening up a bit. "It's... nice to meet you." She grinned up at him, almost hopefully. That frown came back to his face, a pinkish tint now coming with it to occupy his cheeks..  
  
"...whatever." He logged off, her smile fell.  
  
//Well, goodbye to you too then.// She sighed and gave up, going back to wandering now. The first person she'd met and he didn't even like her. //Oh, well. There are others, I guess.// She started back to where she had come from and she blinked, seeing another player run up to the glimmering golden rings that spun. She blinked as similar rings surrounded that player and they dissapeared. She looked confused and walked up to it, examining it before reaching out. A menu popped up and she looked suprised.  
  
Examining the menu, she clicked an option and then another, just experimenting. And suddenly, the rings surrounded her and that rush came back.  
  
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When Kotoki opened her eyes, she didn't know where she was. It appeared to be a field of some sort. She glanced around and started walking. Was this where that player had gone? //Maybe I should of read the instruction manual or something... Or read the message board.// She scolded herself for being so stupid.  
  
She looked around and started walking. No harm in exploring. And so she did, until she reached golden circles, like those matching the ones in the town she had been in. She approached them. Maybe she'd get another menu and she'd be able to go back. However, when she reached it, it erupted into a golden burst and out of it came no menu... but something else.  
  
She screamed.  
  
It was a monster. A giant, hideous monster and she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. But it chased after her and she was forced to try to run faster. It did not let us, it continued after her, even as she ran around the giant windmills that she had spotted in the field, even as she moved in this direction to that one and in the end, she found herself tripping and falling, the large shadow falling over her. She turned onto her back, eyes wide and fearful as the monster, which resembled a giant musroom, raised it's arm. She closed her eyes waiting for the blow.  
  
It never came.  
  
//Huh?//  
  
Her eyes opened and she saw a figure in front of her. It was no monster, but a player, who had killed the monster, for it now layed on the ground, fading away. The figure was clearly male. She sat up on her haunches, eyes wide. The player turned. She gasped.  
  
She'd been right, it was a male. And she immediately remembered Leon. But this boy... Leon had *nothing* on *this* boy.  
  
This boy was about half-a-head taller than Leon. His form was slender, almost feminine. But masculinity radiated off of him, fighting that off. His hair was an odd color; silvery-blue. It was in a pony-tail, and strands hung out of it, falling over his shoulders and into his face. It looked soft, silky and it almost gave him a seductive feel. His eyes matched, the same color, almost liquid like. They were cool and calm looking, slightly narrowed. His skin was pale, but not too pale. His complection was smooth and creamy and from what she could see, not a single scar marred his features. His skin reminded her faintly of that vanilla flavored whipped cream her mother always bought.  
  
But his outfit was even more amazing than his looks. He wore leather. *Leather*. A leather top with a turtle neck that opened in the front, exposing the front of his neck. Silver latches went down his front, and his top was sleeveless. A black material, what she guess was also leather, wrapped around his arm. Bands. And his pants were leather too, leather straps with silver buckles wrapping around his left thigh. He wore matching boots, and his hand was on his hip. A smirk was upon his face, an almost seductive smirk and her face flushed.  
  
He spoke, that smirk still there. "Hey, you alright?" His voice was different from Leon's. It was softer, smoother... sexier. Kotoki's cheeks burned red.  
  
"Uh... yes! Y-yes!" She gathered her composure and picked herself up, looking up at this player. That smirk widened a bit. He held out a hand.  
  
"My name is Krad," he introduced as she took his hand and shook it. "Yours?"  
  
"K--kotoki!"  
  
Krad nodded. "Kotoki, eh?" He tilted his head some to the side, silvery-blue splashing across the black on his shoulder like ink. That smirk became a smile. "I like that name. May I call you Koto-chan?"  
  
Kotoki immediately nodded. "Uh, yeah! Sure!" She grinned up at him. He seemed nice.  
  
"You're a newbie, right?" At her nod, he smiled knowingly. "I thought so. You shouldn't be here. This place is very high-leveled. You should got to a more low-leveled field and raise your level."  
  
"How do I do that?"  
  
And he explained it to her. Finally, she had someone to help her. And this Krad seemed very nice... Though there was something about his eyes that made her feel she should be careful. But she brushed it off, and listened to him. And when he was done, she had to fight to not run to him and hug him.  
  
"Thank you so much!" She exclaimed, eyes wide. "You're such a big help!"  
  
Krad nodded with that easy expression. "Don't mention it, Koto-chan. Here, take this. My member address."  
  
She blinked as she recieved 'Krad's Member Address'. She looked confused. "What's this?"  
  
"It allows you to send me flash-mails and add me to your party. Don't worry about it. I have yours. I'll give you a call sometime. See you around, Koto-chan." He flashed her a look she couldn't quite understand and the gold rings circled him and he dissapeared. She watched and then blushed. She'd made her first friend and he was everything she could want in a friend... and maybe a bit more...  
  
//Don't start thinking like that, Kotoki. You're not starting to get a crush on a guy you barely know! He could be a grown man in real life!// However, this thought did not stop her dreamy smile. She was fourteen in real life... And she was sure Krad wasn't much older than that... But she brushed that thought away and, remembering what Krad had told her, she exited the field and found herself back in the town. Mac Anu, Krad had called it. Kotoki smiled.  
  
Maybe this The World thing wasn't so bad....  
  
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-/She is the one... The threat... This I know for a fact... No matter... This girl, this Kotoki, shall soon be out of the way. I shall make sure to that.../-  
  
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Author Notes: And that's Chapter One. Hope you liked it. I wish someone would illustrate for my fics. xx; I'd love to see someone draw Krad. XP Yes, I am a Krad fangirl, even though he was created by a fan girl. Please review. ;  
  
P.S.: I see dead people. 


End file.
